Lantern



Jul 10, 1928. 1,676,861

A, H. HANDLAN Filed Oct. 12, 1925 on no 1055006 0,.

Patented July 10, 1928.

umrsnsrAras ALEXANDER H. HANDLAN', or s'r. flours, MISSOURI.

LANTERN.

' This invention relates generally tohand lanterns, and particularly to the type of hand lanterns used by trainmen :for transmitting signals, an object of the invention being to produce a hand lantern provided I with improved means for positively holding the lanternglobe so as v to prevent the ingre'ss of air currents between the bottom face of the globe and'its seat.

' Prior to this invention lanterns have" bee constructed with aseat for the base ofthe globe and an annular spring-pressed globe holder engaging the-upper portion of the globe. The spring-pressed globe holder was adapted to slide within the dome longitudij nally-thereof, and-its function was to force the globe downwardly'onto its seat while at the same time centrally positioning the upper portion of the globe with respect to the dome. If the lantern frame is perfectly formed no trouble is experienced' with air currents entering the lantern between the globe and its bottom seat, bu tin practice it is found that many of the lantern frames are not perfectly formed, this condition usually beingcaused by said lantern framesbeing accidentally bent while they are still hot I after being dipped in molten'tin,

In the case of a lantern the frame of which is perfectly formed, the center of the globe seat and the center of" the globe holder are 7 Y in positive alinement with the longitudinal axis ofthleglobe and when this condition exists the globe is perfectly centered within 1 the lantern and close contact is obtained between the bottom faceof the gl'obe'and the globe seat. Assume now, however, that the lantern frame were accidentally bent before the lantern gets into service, so that the globe holder is not "in alinement with the globe seat. The result of-this wouldbe that the foffcenter Jglobe holderwould pull th'e top permitted to I enter the lantern between the portion of the globe to one side when-said globe holder vis moved into contact with said top portion of said globe, and as a consequence a part of the bottom 'face'of said tilted globe would be drawn off ofthe globe seat, thus leaving a space between the'bottom faceof the globe and theglobe seat.-

In 'giving'certain signalsit is imperative that the air enter the lantern only at'points of ingress definitely determined in order that the flame maybe sustainedythus permitting it to burn brightly. If during the giving of these signals a currento'f air be Application filed October 12, 1925. Serial No. 61,966.

globe and it-sseat, thelflame Willbe dimmed or, probably completely extinguished. It is essential to avoid danger that the flame of the lantern be as nearly constant at all times as possible, and it is the particulars object of my invention to produce a lantern hav- Another. object of invention is to pro- I upper and-lower parts of the lantern body,

so that the light within the lantern may be maintained when the lantern is being'swnn'g about to transmit signals, at which time varying currents of:air;are produced'within thelante'rnbody. 1 'With the foregoing and other, objects in View, the invention comprises ,the novel construction, combination "and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described ings, wherein is shown the preferred-embodiment of the invention. However, it is :to be understood that the invention comprehends -changes,:var1at1ons and modifications which and illustrated inthe accompanying drawcome Within the scope of the claims hereunto: appended. q

Fig. I is a fragment'aryview of my improved 'lant'ern-,-=-partly; in vertical section and partly in elevatiom i Fig; lf-isr'a-ufrag mentary cross section taken on line II.I'I- of Fig.1 '1 and looking in the" direction indicated 'by 'the arrows:

. I Fig. 111 is a side elevation of m lantern on avery much reduced scale" showing .the j short globe associated therewith.

Inthe drawing A designates a hand lan- I tern- 0f the type used by:-:trainmen, which lantern is provided withan oil fontrholder -Fs'ecu red in any'suitablemanner, as -for instance by. welding, to aguard'frame H, and said foil font, holder is'provided with air in-" duction ports Faf J designates a globeseat whichr is'arranged withinthe oil font'holder F anlda'is adapted to' receivethe bottom face of thela ntern globe G, a .wall J being eirtended downwardly from the inner edge of saidglobe seat J to provide; an annularair" space" J between" the side wallaof- 'the oil font holder and said wall .J=, In'the use of a lantern made: in accordance with my invention airv to sustain the flame passes.

through the POItSF 'iDtO the space Jf and through ports J" in'the 'wallJ to the ifnterior of the globe G; D designates the dome of the lantern which is usually pivotally connected to the guardframe H, and.

said dome is ordinarily provided with a suitable latchingdevice so that it.may be fastened in a closed position, but. as the latching device and the arrangement of hinging the dome to the guard frame are common, they -have not been shown in the drawing.

,Bdesignates my lmproved globe holder or V wind-break, as it. is usually called, flwhich compr ses an annular platel arranged transversely of. the lantern," the opening within said platebeing approximately alined within the interior of theglobe to permit the upward-movement of air and vapors through said globe: Ai-rangedadjacent'tohthe plate lfilt tlie top face thereof is an annular member comprising :annular vertical wall 2 jp'rovlded' with an-annula'r row of perforations3 and having at' itslower end a circumferential flange 4:- arranged parallel with the 7 plate 1, said,circumferentialflange being securedin any suitable manner, as by welding or soldering, to said annular platel. L'ocat ed at the upper end of the annular vertical wall Qiisan annular horizontal flange -5,'*and pl-ate, L-shaped in cross section, which is seextended inwardly andu-pwardly from the inner edgeof said hor'izontal flangeb-i's an annular inclined shield 6. The vertical wall .,-2,--hori zontal Walls 4 and'5 and shield" 6 are preferably, though not necessarily, all

formed integral. 7 designates an annular cured tothe lower face of the plate 1, the annular wall 7 F of said plate being arranged parallelfwith said plate 1 and functioning as auseat for'the topfaceof the lantern I globe. G andthe associatedannular-wall 7 gglobe Giis seated I t designates a coilspring, preferably-coniextending downwardly from said plate 1 and surrounding theupper 1 end portion of the lantern globe G. "By referring to Fig.

"I it willbe noted that the 'platel7 provides pocket in which the upper portion of the caflfin shape, whichjis interposed between the top wall of the dome D and the annular hor- 'izontal wall 5, said top wall of 'said'dome :being' provided with" a depression D in which the upper endfofthe coil'spring is Y seated, and the lower 'encl of said springvbe-l ,ing. in; firm contact with said annular "horiuontalwallbi Inview of the arrangement 1ust=descr1bed andshown in Fig.1 I, it is ap- 7 "parent that the spring Sit-ends toiforce the ';Il0be.': holder of the'lantern in-a downward rdlIGCtlOD and into firm contact with the top face ofithelanterir'globe' Gw 8 designates an annularcup-shaped incin- ;and a horizontal :wall 11.

wall 11 of the member 8 is provided with a I circular opening 12 ofsgroaterdiameteri than perfectly ber which is. secured by "welding or other wise to the breast portion E of the dome D at the inner face thereof, said cup-shaped l membercomprising an annular flange 9 par- .al lel and in contact with said breast portion E fa vertically arranged annular 'wall '10 the diameter ofthe annular plate 7, and said plate 7 eXtendsth-rough said opening, as shownin Fig.-I, and is capable of moving laterally therein. i

lhe horizontal "Byreferring to drawing, i

will be noted that the annular vertical wall of the dome, is prov'idedwi-th; arow of perforations 13 adjacent to the'lower endof said'wall anda pair-ofrows of perforations 14 adjacent to the, upper end of said 'wall.

Because of the arrangement of-the perform tions 13 and 14:, the vertical annular wall of the dome is provided with. an imperforate portion between the row of perforations at ,15 the lower-end of the wall and-the pair of rows of perforations at theupper end of said wall; The presence of this imperforate portion is oiftheutmost importance, in that a it provides a chamber in which a body of air in a relatively quiet state is maintained, WlllChi body of air tends to cause a breaking up, diffusion and checklng of the undesirable air currents within thedome, thus prevent- 11w. disturbance oftheframe. ,Arranged 1 within the dome D and secured .to the. wall thereof is an annular inclined"bafiie 14:

Jun 1 which is intended to deflect upwardly-,any

air: which enters the dome through the perfor'ation-s 14-.

in accordance withQ-my invention is being moved to a' closed position, the globe holder .13 will contact-with the top face of-the lan ternglobe G, and because of thelarrange 'qment thereofthe globe holderwilhmove to :aQposition where it cont-acts firmly withrthe topface oflthe, globe ata-ll points of said top facellf the frame of the lantern is im-f formed so that the center-of them globe holder isnot-alined with the center :of the globe seat when saidglobe holder is in the centerqof the dome, theglobe holder will move laterally, with respectto the dome, or will otherwise; automatically ad Ijust itselfso that it contacts firmly with. the atop facesof the globe. Itis apparent,-therefore, that because of the a-bilityof the globe to move universally the globe holder will been stated, and for this reason the smaller @When the-dome of; a lanternconstructed .105

end of said coil spring, which is seated on the curved depression D, may act as a pivot, thus providing for free lateral movement of the larger'end of said spring, the opening 12 in the wall 11 being large enough to permit corresponding lateral movement'of the globe holder.

In the use of my improved lantern air will pass through the opening 12 around the peripheral edge of the plate 1 upwardly to the upper portion of the lantern dome. Also, some of this air will pass through the openings 3 in the wall 2 of the globe holder. The result of this is that there is always a sufiicient amount of fresh air within and adjacentto the globe holder to maintain the flame when a downward movement of vapor within the globe is caused. Also, it will be noted that the perforations 13 are so arranged that cross currents of air passing through the dome of the lantern will be baffled by the shield 6 and will be deflected upwardly. The arrangement of the air ports of my improved lantern results in the scientific control'of the air passing into the lantern body whereby the light in the lantern is maintained constant at all times while the lantern is in use.

I claim:

1. A lanternhaving a. dome, a globe, a seat for the bottom face of said globe, and a spring-pressed globe holder, said globe holder including an annular port-ion arranged transversely of .the lantern, and an annular housing secured to said dome and enclosing the marginal edge, portion of said annular port-ion of said globe holder, said annular housing being provided with a wall which overlaps said annular portion of said globe holder.

2. A lantern having a dome, a globe, a

seat for the bottom face of said globe, and a spring-pressed globe holder, said globe holder including an annular portion arranged transversely of the lantern, and an annular housing approximately cup-shaped in cross section secured to said dome and enclosing the marginal edge portion of said annular portion of said globe holder, said housing secured to said dome and enclosing. said annular portion of said globe holder,

the diameter of said housing being considerably greater than the diameterof said annular portion of said globe holder to permit said annular portion to move transversely,

within said housing.

4. A lantern having a globe, a globe seat,

an oil font holder within which said globe seat is arranged, awall within said oil'font holder and spaced apart from a wall thereof to provide a space, said wall within said oil font holder and a wall of said oil font holder being provided with perforations through which air may pass, a dome pro-- vided with perforations at its top, a baflle adjacent to said perforations, a springpressed globe holder, said dome being provided with perforations at its lower end, and

a shield on said spring-pressed globe holder,

said shield being disposed opposite to the 7 last mentioned perforations; and being adapted to-deflect air entering the dome therethrough.

In testimony that .-I claim the foregoing" I hereunto aflix my signature. I p 1 ALEXANDER H. HANDLAN. i 

